Pump governor



May 17,1927. 1,629,073

/ 7 I W. FLETCHER v PUMP GOVERNOR- Filed Feb. 11. 1924 if J4 4f 7 /J O 1 g Patented May 17, 1927.

UNITED .STATES FICIEQ i WILFORD FLETCHER, or BILLERICA, MASSACHUSETTS.

rUivr'r oovnnnon.

Application filed February 11, 1924. Serial No. 691,869,

This invention relates to pump governors of the type wherein the valve which controls thesupply of steam or other motive fluid to the motor element of the pump is governed automatically by the water pressure from the discharge connection of the pump,and whereby the motive fluid is cut off or re duced when pressure on the discharge side of the pump reaches a predetermined maxi- 'o mum In pump governors of this kind it has been customary to provide connections from the discharge pipe of the pump lead ings to a cylinder containing a piston con nected with the stem of the motive fluid sup-- 1; ply valve, the pressure of water in this arrangement acting directly upon the valve controlling piston and against'a spring or like resilient backing to exert pressure tending to close the valve. This arrangement has been subject to the objection that the packing of the valve controlling piston has been constantly subject to the deteriorating action of the water acting thereon, this water being virtually trapped in the piston cylinder and hence by reason of its practically stationary condition tending more rapidly to corrode and disintegrate the piston and its packing. of the water is still more in evidence when the apparatus is used only at intervalswith the result that the piston is apt to stick in its cylinder and not respond freely to the pressure conditions of the water; further when the system is pumping hot water and develops around the piston packing, the water in contact withthe piston becomes'hot and hence tends to injure the piston packing still more rapidly.

tion is to obviate these objections byproreplenishment of the oil, and. also easily kept clean. 'The foregoing and other objects and advantages'of the invention will more fully appear fromthe following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and'the: distinctive features of novelty willbe-pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing a pump governor device equipped with the invention; and j i Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the 'ar-' rangement and application of the invention to the ordinary steam pumpingequipment.

10 indicates a steam pump which may be of usual type, it being'here understood that the reference to steam as the motive fluid is merely illustrative and intended totypify any suitable motive fluid. The motor end 10*of this steam pump 7, is equipped with .the usual steam pipe connection 11 having This deteriorating action 'ton connected with the valve'13.

with the small leakage which usually soon interposed therein the valve housing 12, which contains the controlling valvev 13. The pump end 10 has a usualdischarge pipe 14 leading therefrom, with a small pipe 15 connected to the discharge pipe and leading to the upper portion'of the housing structure which contains thecontrolling pis- S5 This controlling piston indicated at 16 is equipped with a usual or suitable packing and is fitted in a cylinder 17 borne at the top of an open housing 18 whichcontains an adjusting device 19 interposed in the stem 20,

which extends upward from the valve 13 The principal object of the present inven- 'viding means whereby oil is substituted for;

water as the fluid contacting with, and acting directly upon the valve-controlling piston. In accordance with my invention I at tain this object by providing means whereby a suitable quantity of oil or other lubricat-' ing fluid is held trapped and contained in such a way as to be directly subject to the pressure conditions of the pump discharge water. A further object is to provide a simply constructed device which does not add appreciably to the dimensions of, or in any way interfere with, the usual set-up of the valve-controlling mechanism, and which is conveniently arranged for the supply and and bears the piston 16 at itsupper extremity. A compression coil spring 21 isfitted in the lower part of the cylinder 17 to react upward against the piston 16 and normally keep the valve 13 open. In accordance with my invention a cylinder 22 is'secured to the top of the cylinder 17 this cylinder 22 having a bottom web 22 with a shroud 22" depending therefrom which is internally threaded to engage the top of the cylinder 17 The cylinder 22 has also its upper end closed as indicated at 22 with a plug 22 tapped therein to permit convenient replentwo small pipes 2 1, 25 tapped thereinto, these pipes extending upwardly through the cylinder 22 with one thereof, shown. as the pipe 25, extending upward somewhat farther than the other, i. e. very close to the top 22 of the cylinder, while the other-pipe 24: terminates at a slightly lower point. The upper ends of these pipes are open and they thus afford COIIlHlUlllCzltlOD. from the top of the cylinder 22 to the top of the piston cylinder 17. 26 indicates a small plugtapped into the lower portion of the cylinder 22 to facilitate the cleaning; out thereof when-required. In use the plug 22 being removed the: cylinder 22 is filled with oil which then flows. down the shorter pipe 2a to fill the space in the cylinder 17 above the piston 16., this beingpermitted by the air vent then afforded by the pipe 25. Then as pressure water from the discharge pipe lt-is forced into the bottom of the cylinder 22 it will,

by reason of its higher specific gravity remain in the lower portion of'said cylinder,

and the body of oil trapped in the cylinder 22 will remain always on top of the watersurface,,so that so long as any oil remains in the cylinder '22, it will be forced downward through the pipe 24 into the space above the piston andhence the piston will operate at all times in the presence ofoil and be kept entirely free from the deteriorating action of the pressure water. With this arrangement the supply of oil in the cylinder 22 will last for longperiods, it being' understood that the piston 16 in practiee only has arange of movement of about one inch, and when the oil is nearly exhausted, it may be simply and easily replenished as described. I am aware that the invention may be embodiedin other specific forms without departing from the spiritor essential attributes thereof, and l therefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all. respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the fore going description to indicate the scope of the lnvention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

1. The combination with a steam pump equipped with a valve controlling the sup ply of motive fluid thereto, said valvehaving an u nvardly extending stem with a,

controlling piston at the upper end thereof,.a cylinder 111 which said p1ston 1s fitted equipped with a backing spring, and an oilcontaining chamber borne at'the top of said cylinder having a connection with: the

pump discharge, and having also-a conduit leading from the top portion thereofldownward through the bottom thereof, and open;

ing into the top of the, piston cylinder:

2. The combination with, a steam pump equipped with a valve controlling the sup@' ply of'motive fluid there-to, said valve having an upwardly extendmg' stem with" a cone trolling piston at the upperend thereof, a.

cylinder in which said piston is fitted equipped with a backing spring, and an oil containing chamber borne at the top of said cylinder having a connection with the pump discharge, and having also two conduits leading from the .top portion thereofd'own-- wrnroen FLETCHER. 

